02.07.2007 - Source: Civil Georgia

Local residents resumed a protest rally and blocked a road leading to Tskhinvali; protesters demand the resumption of irrigation water supply to their villages ("Water Protest Blocks S.Ossetian Road") [ID 20627]

Document(s): Open document

23.05.2007 - Source: Amnesty International

Moratorium on death sentences and executions in South Ossetia, but only on executions in Abkhazia; two prisoners were on death row in Abkhazia; at least 16 people had been sentenced to death since the early 1990s ("Annual Report 2007") [ID 20122]

"South Ossetia continued a moratorium on death sentences and executions. Abkhazia had a moratorium on executions only. Two prisoners were on death row in Abkhazia. Reportedly, at least 16 people had been sentenced to death in Abkhazia since the early 1990s.  

In June the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), in recommendations on the death penalty in Council of Europe member and observer states, stated that the death penalty should be abolished in Abkhazia and South Ossetia, and that all death sentences in Abkhazia should be immediately commuted to bring an end to the state of uncertainty suffered by prisoners on death row for years.  "

Document(s): Open document

29.05.2006 - Source: Civil Georgia

Georgian public defender and state minister for conflict resolution issues described the May 27 incident in South Ossetia, involving arrest and beating of Ossetian civilians by the Georgian police, as a violation of human rights ("Officials: Georgian Police Violated Human Rights in S.Ossetia Arrests") [ID 15551]

Document(s): Open document

08.03.2006 - Source: US Department of State

While ICRC and OSCE reported no problems to access prisoners and detainees, local human rights groups had sporadic difficulty in accessing them; access to information on human rights in the region is limited; media remained restricted by de facto government ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2005") [#46124],  [ID 5753]

"The ICRC had full access to detention facilities, including those in Abkhazia and South Ossetia, and the OSCE reported no serious problems in obtaining access to prisoners or detainees. The prosecutor office's human rights unit enjoyed free access to prisons to monitor conditions. Local human rights groups and members of the prison monitoring council reported sporadic difficulty in visiting detainees, particularly in cases with political overtones. […] In South Ossetia, the UN expressed concerns about detention conditions after visits to Tskhinvali Prison and the detention facility of the de facto Ministry of Interior. […]
There was limited information on the human rights situation in Abkhazia and South Ossetia due to limited access to these regions. A human rights commission established by the unrecognized South Ossetian government was abolished in 2004 and replaced by a Plenipotentiary on Human Rights. […]
Media in the separatist regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia remained tightly restricted by their respective de facto governments."

Document(s): Open document

02.03.2006 - Source: Institute for War and Peace Reporting

South Ossetia: Report on the humanitarian situation and the living conditions of the population ("South Ossetia: Everyday Fears") [#45579],  [ID 5754]

Document(s): Open document

28.02.2006 - Source: ReliefWeb

Report on humanitarian and development situation in South Ossetia and Abkhasia (security situation, prepatriation of refugees, internally displaced persons) ("Humanitarian and development update Feb 2006") [#46548],  [ID 5755]

Document(s): Open document

15.02.2006 - Source: ReliefWeb

South Ossetia: Georgian parliament resolution, requesting a withdrawal of Russian peace-keeping forces, an end to the massive violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms and reinforcing co-operation with international organisations ("Resolution of the Parliament of Georgia on the current situation in the former autonomous district of South Ossetia and ongoing peace process (Government of Georgia)") [#44372],  [ID 5756]

Document(s): Open document

23.09.2005 - Source: UN Human Rights Council (formerly UN Commission on Human Rights)

Upon his visit in prisons, Special Rapporteur noted no serious issues relating to conditions of detention; conditions in pretrial detention centre of Ministry of Internal Affairs however fell far below international standards ("Report of the Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, Manfred Nowak; Mission to Georgia [E/CN.4/2006/6/Add.3]") [#43330],  [ID 5757]

"55. On 25 February 2005, the Special Rapporteur visited two facilities in South Ossetia. At Tskhinvali Prison, where both pretrial detainees and convicted prisoners were held in separate wings, he noted that in general, there were no serious issues relating to the conditions of detention. The cells for both convicted and pretrial prisoners were not overcrowded, and there was sufficient bedding, lighting, heating and washing facilities. The detainees were allowed outside their cells four hours per day, although with no possibilities for educational, vocational or leisure activities, and were permitted family visits, but access to the prison was difficult. The prisoners had no access to a telephone; indeed, the prison staff alleged that they would be reprimanded for allowing prisoners to use the telephone. There were no allegations of ill-treatment by the prison staff, even of Georgian prisoners.

56. At the pretrial detention centre of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Special Rapporteur met with the chief of the facility, Mr. J. Akhmuraz. The facility had seven underground cells, which held 23 detainees on that particular day. On average there were three detainees per cell; however, one held five individuals and was overcrowded. There was no heating in the cells, nor washing facilities or toilets. Although pretrial prisoners were to be held for only up to three months, this period was often exceeded. Some cells were equipped with televisions, and the detainees reported that they had access to reading materials, telephone calls and visits twice a month. The prisoners were allowed out for four hours per day in a 4 x 5 m outdoor cage. Although there were no allegations of ill-treatment, the Special Rapporteur noted that the conditions fell far below international standards."

Document(s): Open document

04.07.2005 - Source: UN Committee Against Torture

Abkhazia: Implementation of Convention against Torture has been complicated in South Ossetia and Abkhazia over which Georgia has no jurisdiction ("Consideration of Reports submitted by States Parties under Article 19 of the Convention; Third periodic reports of States parties due in 2003; Addendum; Georgia [CAT/C/73/Add.1]") [#37524],  [ID 5758]

"Article 5 (Jurisdiction of the State over the offence of torture)

35. The legislative provisions referred to in the initial report on implementation of the Convention against Torture are still in force. As noted in the second periodic report, the application of those provisions throughout the territory of Georgia is complicated by the existence of two self-proclaimed republics within Georgia’s internationally recognized borders: Abkhazia and former South Ossetia, over which State jurisdictions is de facto non existent. Unfortunately, over the reporting period there was no progress towards resolving this problem. At the same time, the Government of Georgia wishes to emphasize, once again, that this circumstance does not in any way relieve the State of its obligations under the Convention, which are applicable to the entire territory of Georgia."

Document(s): State report
Concluding observations of 25 July 2006 [CAT/C/GEO/CO/3]

06.2005 - Source: Freedom House

Violence against journalists occurred in South Ossetia ("Freedom of the Press 2005") [#42047],  [ID 5759]

"Violence against journalists occurred mostly in the separatist regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, which are tightly restricted by their de facto governments."

Document(s): Open document